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Pep Guardiola supports October 1 referendum

“Everyone should be able to exercise their freedom”, says former FC Barcelona player and coach

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24 September 2017 12:39 PM

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ACN | Barcelona

Pep Guardiola has stepped forward to defend the October 1 referendum. The former FC Barcelona coach has been a long-standing supporter of Catalonia’s right to self-determination and independence, and has now stood up for the vote planned to take place in a week. Guardiola recorded a statement in which he said that “everyone should be able to exercise their freedom”. According to him, “this is not about independence, but about democracy.”

The current Manchester City coach also claimed that “laws make laws, and laws change laws, and this is decided by the people, by the society.” Despite the intensity of the clash of wills between the Catalan and the Spanish governments, Guardiola also called for the dialogue to resume.

"This is not about independence, but about democracy"

Pep Guardiola · Football coach

“The wishes of the people of the 21st century are different than those of the 20th century people, and above all they are different from those of post-dictatorship people,” he added. Guardiola was in fact referring to the Spanish Constitution passed in 1978, three years after Franco’s death. It hasn’t changed since.

Guardiola has taken part in various events to support Catalonia’s right to self-determination. For instance, he called on the international community to support the October 1 referendum at a 30,000-strong rally in Barcelona last June. “This scandalous political situation can only be answered with more democracy,” added the world-class football coach at the rally.